Patrick Concannon

The Forgotten Troubles 1920-1922: The Derry Riots 1920…

Patrick Concannon on August 7, 2020, 8:47 am

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On 12th August 1969 Derry City exploded into violence and running battles that would eventually become known as the Battle of The Bogside after the Annual Relief of the City Parade held by the Apprentice Boys. This rioting lasted for three days and is widely seen as the start of the Troubles or Northern Ireland conflict. What is less well known, however, is that almost fifty years previously, in June 1920 Derry saw a far bloodier spate of communal rioting …

The Forgotten Troubles 1920-1922: The Altnaveigh Massacre…

Patrick Concannon on July 28, 2020, 7:43 am

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The violence which engulfed Northern Ireland in 1922 was possibly the most intense the region has ever seen. The massacre at Altnaveigh has become synonymous with the sectarian violence which occurred particularly in the first half of 1922. It has also become a symbol of Republican aggression in the border regions, for Unionists living along that area particularly. Altnaveigh elicits comparisons with the abhorrent Kingsmill massacre when ten Protestant workmen were taken from their bus by Republican paramilitaries and murdered …

The Forgotten Troubles 1920-1922: The McMahon Murders…..

Patrick Concannon on July 21, 2020, 7:00 am

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When one thinks about the Troubles in Northern Ireland one invariably recalls the horrors of 1969-1998 and the violence, often savage that embroiled our society. However, this was not the first vicious conflict that Northern Ireland had seen. For my new series of articles, I thought I would look at a time period which has been mostly forgotten in Northern Ireland and largely written out of the War of Independence and Civil War period of 1919-1922. Northern Ireland was borne …

Busting the Historical Myths Conclusion: The Battle of the Boyne…

Patrick Concannon on April 25, 2020, 7:00 am

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Firstly I would like to extend a massive thank you to the Slugger O’Toole users who have responded to my articles. This series has been an attempt to stimulate debate and hopefully be an accurate interpretation of events which have become more myth than truth in many ways. For my final article I thought I would focus on the most famous Battle in Irish history which ironically was a Battle between two Kings of England with European significance- the Battle …

Busting the Historical Myths: The Easter Rising Part 2- The Aftermath….

Patrick Concannon on April 18, 2020, 7:00 am

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In my previous article I was probably a little mischievous in my conclusion as I attempted to convey that the British Intelligence Community was well aware of the plans for a Rising on Easter Sunday and that there had been on their part a wish to combat and defeat the Irish Volunteer movement once and for all. There is now to this day a general feeling that the Rising and its aftermath changed Ireland utterly. There is a feeling that …

Busting the Myths Part III: The Easter Rising…

Patrick Concannon on April 13, 2020, 7:00 am

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The Easter Rising has gone down in Irish History as a watershed moment. For Republicans especially it is the seminal moment in recent Irish History commemorated with parades and rallies at Easter every year. Many to this day still believe the Rising was an unexpected event from the British perspective. There is a belief that the British were taken totally by surprise by a well- disciplined force, the Irish Volunteers, as most of the Dublin Garrison had left to enjoy …

Busting the Historical Myths Part II: The Irish Famine…

Patrick Concannon on April 8, 2020, 7:15 am

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For the second part of my instalment, I thought it may be interesting to consider one of the most well-known historical episodes in Irish History, The Famine. When one thinks on the famine one gets the impression of a scarcity of food, people dying from starvation whilst being removed from their homes by the RIC and a British Government hell-bent on genocide. This, however, would not be accurate. As with the Siege the reality of the Famine is dominated by …

Busting the Historical Myths – The Siege of Derry…

Patrick Concannon on March 31, 2020, 10:38 am

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As Coronavirus dominates the airwaves I thought it may be interesting to explore a few historical myths as a means to divert our attention from the pandemic sweeping the Word. In Northern Ireland there is a tendency for Unionists and Nationalists to view certain historical events in a partisan and inaccurate way often driven by erroneous historical interpretations which have become main-stream, but which are based primarily on propaganda. As every historian knows the complexity and nuances of human nature …